Alkali metal aryloxides can be made by a number of procedures. For example, sodium reacts with phenol to yield sodium phenoxide. This reaction is usually conducted in an ether solvent for the phenoxide such as tetrahydrofuran to prevent the formation of a phenoxide coating on the sodium metal which inhibits the reaction. Alternatively, aryloxides can be made by reacting an aryl hydroxide with a reactive alkali metal compound such as sodium hydride or sodamide. Although these prior methods are effective, the reaction is usually slow and often incomplete. Therefore, a need exists for a process for making alkali metal aryloxides that is fast and goes to completion.